What vegetables require the least sunlight?
Written by
Kiana Okafor
Reviewed by
Prof. Charles Hartman, Ph.D.Beets, spinach, and arugula are the vegetables that require the least amount of sunlight. They will grow in appealing abundance with only 2-3 hours of sun per day, which is perfect for north-facing gardens and under-tree canopies. They are fantastic vegetables for challenging growing environments.
Top Low-Light Vegetables
- Arugula: Plant every 3 weeks for continuous harvests
- Spinach: Use bolt-resistant varieties like 'Bloomsdale'
- Beets: Harvest greens at 4 inches, roots at 2 inches diameter
Soil Optimization
- Maintain pH 6.0-6.8 with dolomite lime
- Mix 3 inches of compost into planting rows
- Add wood ash for potassium-loving beets
Light Management
- Reflective mulch boosts light by 15%
- Prune overhead branches during winter dormancy
- Use white containers to scatter residual light
Begin your arugula plants in early spring and late summer for continued harvests. This crop thrives in cooler conditions and grows a more intense flavor in shaded areas. It also allows leaves to remain tender for a longer period. When harvesting next to bush beans, you can utilize part of the plant's natural shading qualities while being efficient with the area or bed space used.
Spinach is happy with afternoon shade when grown in the summer heat. When you want to harvest, use scissors to cut the outer leaves first, to let the inner leaves fully mature before harvesting them next. This cut-and-come-again method will produce about 30% more foliage than a one-time harvest. For a nice bonus, add seaweed extract weekly for additional soluble iron.
Shade-grown Beets develop more concentrated sugars in their roots. When seedlings have true leaves, thin them to a spacing of 3 inches. Use young greens in salads-they have 40% more vitamin A than mature leaves. Plant garlic along with the beets to deter leaf miners naturally.
Read the full article: 10 Shade Tolerant Vegetables for Your Garden
